We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Johnny. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Johnny below.
Hi Johnny, thanks for joining us today. We’d love to hear about a project that you’ve worked on that’s meant a lot to you.
What is the most meaningful project is impossible to answer.
I’m a father. Does that fall into the category y’all call ‘project’? I’ve been part of difficult social endeavors in the nonprofit world. Sexual health, reproductive rights, parenthood, child health and opportunity, fatherhood, and others.
I make art people can look at. I have written songs, and I keep writing songs. I have recorded and performed those songs. Some people like those songs. Skilled musicians and sound engineers, and the like, having invested their own time and energy into these songs. That’s an incredible honor.
The songs haven’t made any money. Neither has my visual art. At least not any money that could approximate I expect, and what I believe my family expects me, to make. Their expectations are not unreasonable.
I believe in the transformative potential and the intrinsic value of artistic expression. The actual arts market places seem reluctant to reward any but those in the top tier of recognition.
Johnny, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
I got into the social nonprofit work by virtue of my core interest in being a part of addressing societal shortcomings and my desire to dedicate time to improvements. The unique specs of my work in these fields are probably best summarized by my inclination to look for unique and creative solutions. I have always prioritized respectful interactions and that is also a part of how I work. Those who disagree with me or the organizations I’m affiliated with, with respect to policy, are still human. Interactions between supervisors and staff, between funders and the funded, provider and participant, etc. should be based on human and egalitarian principles first. And, that approach produces better outcomes.
The love of art and music has always been a part of me, so far as I can recall. The skills were less readily available. I have worked hard to develop what skills I have in the art making and song making spheres. I have insecurity and uncertainty.
Though I appreciate the concept of “brand” and certainly pursue aspects of “branding”, I find myself rebelling a bit against the word and how it’s talked about.
What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?
Beauty. I’m sure that reads as a bit passé. For me the word is not just about pleasing aesthetics or good form, though all of that, yes please. It is about stretching boundaries and doing so effectively. It is about messages that impact peoples ability to be kind and to find meaning. It is about showing, not telling. It is giving joy, or poignant reflection, or awe, to another.
How can we best help foster a strong, supportive environment for artists and creatives?
Respect their value. Music and all kinds of art suffuses our world all day every day and we take those things for granted. Music in every store, coffee shop, garage, tv commercial, PSA . . . murals, packaging, tattoos, all over our social media . . . Acting in ads, on stages, “film”etc… etc…
Dismantle (preferably, increasingly make irrelevant) the big studios/production companies/distributors/platforms/promoters/ticket agents and their business models. “Democratize” what we currently depend on those entities for. Yay for the Taylor Swifts, but we need to spread the enormous earning potential of the arts more broadly.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://Fathernewmexico.org
- Instagram: Truestoryhouse, tokaprod, fathersnewmexico
- Facebook: True story house
- Youtube: True story house
- Soundcloud: True story house
Image Credits
Johnny (me)